Breaking: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he will resign

Sir Keir Starmer says he will resign as prime minister of the United Kingdom.

He said his decision came after speaking with the King earlier today, local time, and was in the best interests of the country.

He will remain as caretaker prime minister until a new Labour leader is chosen in the next few weeks.

Sir Keir made the announcement after facing growing pressure to hand over to a new leader who can try to revive the government’s flagging fortunes.

As he made his speech, protesters nearby played the EU anthem, Beethoven's Ode to Joy.

Sir Keir's voice choked with emotion near the end of his brief statement, made outside 10 Downing Street.

"The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election," Sir Keir said.

"I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace."

He said once he left office he would "spend more time on the most important job".

"Being the best husband I can to my fantastic wife, Vic, who has been a rock by my side through good times and bad," Sir Keir said.

"And being the best dad I can to my beautiful children, who are my pride and my joy."

Sir Keir has been in office since leading Labour to a landslide election victory in July 2024.

Sir Keir's key selling point was "no more soap opera politics", said Rob Ford, a political science professor at the University of Manchester.

Instead, Professor Ford said, his government was "the antithesis of what he said he was going to be about and it's very hard to survive that".

In those two years, Sir Keir's popularity and that of the party plummeted and he was criticised for appointing Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US after Mandelson's connection to Jeffrey Epstein was revealed.

Mr Mandelson has been arrested and questioned by police on suspicion of misconduct in public office but has not been charged and does not face any allegations of sexual misconduct.

Sir Keir's departure follows the victory of popular ex-mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham in a special election last week.

Mr Burnham is due to be sworn in as a member of parliament today, local time.

Sir Keir said nominations would open July 9 and close when parliament broke for its summer recess on July 16.

The contest will be open to Labour Party members of parliament.

Sir Keir is the 6th prime minister in a decade to stand outside 10 Downing Street and announce a premature departure.

When he was elected in 2024 in a landslide victory for Labour, Sir Keir pledged to steady the ship and end years of political chaos under the Conservative Party.

Sir Keir succeeded Rishi Sunak, who held the top job from 2022 to 2024.

Before Mr Sunak, Liz Truss lasted only 45 days.

Ms Truss followed three other Conservative prime ministers: Boris Johnson (2019-2022), Theresa May (2016-2019) and David Cameron (2010-2016).

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised Sir Keir's legacy after news of his resignation, in a post online.

"It can take many leaders years to grow into the statesman you became in just two years," she said on X.

"European and Ukrainian security is stronger because of you. Thank you, dear Keir."

AP